Tag: suspense

North Side Of The Grass (Haily Arquette Murder Files: Book 5) by Reily Garrett

Publisher:

Date of publication: April 1st, 2024

Genre: Paranormal, Mystery, Suspense, Romance

Series: Haily Arquette Murder Files

Perfect in Death—Book 1 (review here)

Deceptive Silence—Book 2 (review here)

Unlikely Justice—Book 3 (review here)

Phantom Reunion—Book 4 (review here)

North Side of the Grass—Book 5

Beneath a Souless Moon—Book 6

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible

Goodreads Synopsis:

The dead body found inside a hollow tree is identified as a student at the Gifted Elite School, the one Casper Decuir was sent to investigate and secure.

When another student is kidnapped, Casper and her psychic partner set out to find the killer, before he finds them.
Spirits, shifters, and psychics come together to keep the other psychic students from the clutches of the local mob.

Murder, mystery, betrayal, and romance combine for an irresistible read.

First Line:

Gray light on the horizon yieled to early morning pinks, golds, and lavender while long shadow arms of bare tree limbs scraped and rattled against each other overhead.

Important details about North Side Of The Grass

Pace: Medium

POV: 3rd person (Hailey, Casper)

Series: Book five in the Hailey Arquette Murder Files. It cannot be read as a standalone.

Content/Trigger Guidance: North Side Of The Grass contains themes that include bullying, classism, alcohol consumption, drugging, body horror, dead bodies, loss of autonomy, needles, physical injuries, grief, death of a friend, confinement, kidnapping, murder, attempted murder, physical assault, and chemical gassing.

Language: North Side Of The Grass contains mild swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is mild sexual content in North Side Of The Grass.

Setting: North Side Of The Grass is set in Hamnet, Texas.

My Review

I had been eagerly waiting for North Side Of The Grass since it was hinted about at the end of Phantom Reunion. So, when the author requested a review, I immediately jumped on it. I am a vast Reily Garrett fan and couldn’t wait to see what she had in store for Casper and Hailey. I wasn’t disappointed.

North Side Of The Grass is the fifth book in the Hailey Arquette Murder Files. This book cannot be read as a stand alone. You must read the previous four books before starting this one. You also need to read The Guardians series before starting this one (honestly, I would start with her first series and go down the list. All her books are interconnected).

The main storyline of North Side Of The Grass is centered on Casper, Hailey, and their ongoing investigation of the Gifted school where Casper is a student. A psychic student had gone missing and was found murdered. That same student is pissed at Casper for dating her love interest and throws some wrenches into her murder investigation. But that quickly ends when another psychic student is kidnapped, and a plot involving the local mob and the rest of the psychic students at the school is uncovered.

The main storyline was well-written and fast-moving. I could barely catch a breath between Casper and Hailey’s investigations. The author also showed more of Casper’s interactions with her found family (more background is given if you read The Guardian series). I loved seeing Casper act like a normal kid instead of the phasing/fighting machine that she had been portrayed as in the other books.

More attention was paid to Casper and her shifter boyfriend’s relationship. Since he is a wolf shifter, he does have that alpha male air around him, and it comes out hardcore when Casper is around other males. I figured out what that meant early in the book, but I enjoyed watching him try to figure out how to let Casper know.

The storyline with the students and the mob was interesting. I liked that the author brought a character that nullified other psychic powers. I also liked that the kids (the students) had to work together to escape where they were being held prisoner. It wasn’t a right away meshing of like souls. There were some pretty snobby people in that group. But they all came together in the end to kick some bad guys’ butts.

I loved how the book ended. The author left the main storyline wide open and added to it with the disappearance of a character introduced in book four. I cannot wait to read book six and see where that one takes me!

Many thanks to Reily Garrett for allowing me to read and review North Side Of The Grass. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to North Side Of The Grass, then you will enjoy these books:

Other Books by Reily Garrett

No Road Home by John Fram

Publisher: Atria Books

Date of publication: July 23rd, 2024

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, LGBT, Mystery Thriller, Queer, Paranormal, Adult, Suspense

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

For years, single father Toby Tucker has done his best to keep his sensitive young son, Luca, safe from the bigotry of the world. But when Toby marries Alyssa Wright—the granddaughter of a famed televangelist known for his grandiose, Old Testament preaching—he can’t imagine the world of religion, wealth, and hate that he and Luca are about to enter.

A trip to the Wright family’s compound in sun-scorched Texas soon turns hellish when Toby realizes that Alyssa and the rest of her brood might have some very strange plans for Toby and his son. The situation only grows worse when a freak storm cuts off the roads and the family patriarch is found murdered, stabbed through the heart on the roof of the family’s mansion.

Suspicion immediately turns to Toby, but when his son starts describing a spectral figure in a black suit lurking around the house with unfinished business in mind, Toby realizes this family has more than murder to be afraid of. And as the Wrights close in on Luca, no one is prepared for the lengths Toby will go in the fight to clear his name and protect his son.

First Line:

The knife slides free, the door clicks closed and here, at last, is the rain.

Important details about No Road Home

Pace: Fast

POV: 3rd person (mainly Toby, with a couple of chapters from Luca and Julian’s POV)

Content/Trigger Guidance: No Road Home contains themes that include bullying, classism, conversion therapy, homelessness, incest, pedophilia, grooming, sexual assault, child abuse, cheating, infidelity, addiction, anxiety, depression, dissociation, alcohol consumption, drug abuse, overdose, infertility, pregnancy, blood, gore, chronic illness, dead body, loss of autonomy, medical treatment, physical illness, cancer, death of a parent, death of a sibling, grief, suffocation, confinement, knife violence, murder, attempted murder, physical assault, gun violence, and flood. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

Language: No Road Home contains explicit swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content on page in No Road Home.

Setting: No Road Home is set in Hebron, Texas.

My Review:

When I read the blurb for No Road Home, it caught my attention. I have a strange fascination for evangelical preachers. I don’t know why; they have always fascinated me. Anyway, when I saw that the family of such a preacher was going to be featured, I was super interested to see how messed up they were (and the book didn’t disappoint). With the main character being a man who is parenting a queer child, I was also very interested in seeing how that was going to play into this book. I wasn’t disappointed. No Road Home had me glued to it until the wee hours of the morning.

The main storyline in No Road Home is centered on Toby, his son Luca, and the hellish couple of days he spends with his new wife’s family in Texas. This storyline was twisted. Actually, it was not twisted; it was knotted. Much was happening with and around this family, and the author took his sweet time revealing everything. But the same thing can be applied to Toby. A lot was happening internally with him, and his internal issues added extra depth.

The book gets off to a slow start, but it doesn’t stay slow for long. After Jerome is found killed, everything just snowballs. Throughout the storyline, one surprise after another is revealed, and each reveal explains a little more about Toby and the Wright family. By the end of the book, this storyline was blazing fast.

The relationships in No Road Home did make the book. I liked seeing how the author defined each and changed each relationship. The one that stood out the most to me was Luca and Toby’s relationship. That was pure love. Toby was willing to do whatever it took to shield Luca from bigotry in any form. He was also willing to do whatever it took to make sure that he and Luca left the property. The other relationship that stood out was weirdly Jerome and Cora. I can’t get into that relationship without massive spoilers, but it was similar to Toby and Luca’s….except that Cora did everything for the wrong reasons.

No Road Home is huge on secrets. Every character in this book either had a secret or knew one. I was overwhelmed when the author started revealing everything because it seemed all done simultaneously.

There were quite a few mysteries with some huge twists. The author does a good job of keeping them all under wraps. My biggest one was Willow and her connection to Toby and the Wright family. That was one of the biggest twists in the book. The other twists paled in comparison but still took my breath away.

There is a paranormal angle to the book that interested me. At first, I thought what Luca was talking about was a type of imaginary friend. But the more Luca spoke about it, and what Toby found on the roof, the more I figured out not only who but also what Luca befriended (and, weirdly, who was shielding him from the family).

I have so much more to discuss, but doing so would mean revealing spoilers, and I don’t want to do that.

The end of No Road Home was quick. I liked how the author explained everything and left no storyline open. I rarely end a book like this feeling satisfied, but in this case, I did. Everyone in this book, except the victim, got what they deserved. Why except the victim? He should have been kept alive to face the music with everyone else.

Many thanks to Atria Books, NetGalley, and John Fram for allowing me to read and review this ARC of No Road Home. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to No Road Home, then you will enjoy these books:

Other Books by John Fram

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of publication: July 16th, 2024

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Fiction, Adult Fiction, Family, Contemporary

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

The newest, riveting summer suspense by the author of The Block Party, Jamie Day.

The Precipice is a legendary, family-owned hotel on the rocky coast of Maine. With the recent passing of their father, the Bishop sisters—Iris, Vicki, and Faith—have come for the weekend to claim it. But with a hurricane looming and each of the Bishop sisters harboring dangerous secrets, there’s murder in the air—and not everyone who checks into the Precipice will be checking out.

Each sister wants what is rightfully hers, and in the mix is the Precipe’s nineteen-year-old chambermaid Charley Kelley: smart, resilient, older than her years, and in desperate straits.

The arrival of the Bishop sisters could spell disaster for Charley. Will they close the hotel? Fire her? Discover her habit of pilfering from guests? Or even worse, learn that she’s using a guest room to hide a woman on the run.

With razor-sharp wit, heart, thrills, and twists, Jamie Day delivers a unique brand of SUMMERTIME SUSPENSE.

First Line:

The power flickers on and off, as if the hotel is taking a dying gasp.

Important details about One Big Happy Family

Pace: Fast

POV: 1st person (Charley), 3rd person (Iris, Vicki, Faith, Bree)

Content/Trigger Guidance: One Big Happy Family contains themes containing murder, drug abuse, drug use*, addiction, sexual assault, sexual harassment, mental illness, car accident, eating disorder, gun violence, infertility, infidelity, violence, dementia, death of a parent, cancer*, pregnancy, classism, dubious consent scenarios*, adoption, cheating, child abuse, foster care, anxiety & anxiety attacks, substance addiction, involuntary pregnancy, blood, dead bodies, death from falling, grief & loss depiction, blackmail, attempted murder, poisoning, and hurricane. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

  • Drug Use—Charley’s mother and Iris were both drug addicts. Charley’s mother died from an overdose, and Iris talked about how hard it was to stay sober.
  • Cancer—Bree’s mother died from cancer caused by HPV.
  • Dubious Consent Scenarios—Bree’s mother was pressured into having a sexual relationship with George. It is later explained that he did that to numerous maids.

Language: One Big Happy Family contains moderate swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is mild sexual content in One Big Happy Familly. The nonconsensual sexual content was not graphic, but enough was left unsaid to paint a picture of what happened.

Setting: One Big Happy Family is set in Jonesport, Maine.

My Review:

I was very excited when I saw that Jamie Day was publishing a new book. I had read her debut novel, Block Party, and liked it. I couldn’t wait to jump right in and read it. After reading it, I liked the book but was disappointed by it.

My disappointment was with how flat this book felt to me. I was expecting a more fleshed-out book that had layers to it. Don’t get me wrong, this book had layers. But unraveling one layer and going to the next became exhausting to read.

Other than Charley, the other characters in the book weren’t as fleshed out as they should have been. The dynamic between the sisters seemed forced and a little over the top at times. They were also flat. The author attempted to give them depth (and of the three, Faith had the most depth, in my eyes), but it wasn’t enough. Even Oliver, who was on the spectrum or neurodivergent and spoke in rhymes, was flat.

Don’t get me wrong—the book wasn’t that bad, and I will discuss the good parts after this paragraph. However, the lack of depth in the storyline and characters did bring it down in my eyes. Also, remember that this is her second book, and I haven’t met an author yet whose second book does as well as their debut novels.

So, with that said, let’s move on to the good.

I enjoyed the storyline and the secondary storylines that supported it. I felt they were well written, and some details gave additional insight into how the Bishop sisters’ relationship evolved. Significant trauma in their home life influenced how they turned out as adults. I’m not making excuses for them, but I didn’t see anyone walking away from their home life and being an emotionally healthy, stable adult.

Charley’s backstory was awful. She lived through so much in her life. She was devoted to her Nana and worked herself to the bone to cover the nursing home’s rent. The scenes with Nana broke my heart. Dementia is not an easy thing to happen to your loved one, and the author did hit the nail on the head. There is a twist to her storyline that made me so upset and so angry for her. All I have to say is thank goodness for Bree. If Bree hadn’t done what she did (to repay Charley’s kindness), what was happening would still be going on, with Charley none the wiser.

The mystery angle of the book was terrific. The author had me all twisted in knots trying to figure out who killed Todd and Ms. Black. The author brings in a paranormal angle to the mystery with Holly and Oliver. But I found that a bit distracting. The author also layered the mysteries. It also added to the overall suspense and tension of the situation (stuck at the hotel due to a hurricane). Believe me when I say that all the secrets are revealed. I was surprised at the twist with Todd’s murder, but, at the same time, it made sense (considering what was revealed later on). But the biggest reveal happens at the end of the book. Not only did the author reveal who Ms. Black’s killer was, but she also revealed another colossal surprise that, honestly, I should have seen coming.

The end of One Big Happy Family was anticlimactic. I can’t tell you what happened (spoilers), but everything made me a little let down.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Jamie Day for allowing me to read and review this ARC of One Big Happy Family. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to One Big Happy Family, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Jamie Day

Knife River by Justine Champine

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Random House, The Dial Press

Date of publication: May 28th, 2024

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, LGBT, Suspense, Adult, Literary Fiction, Adult Fiction, Lesbian

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | Kobo | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

When Jess was thirteen her mother went for a walk and never returned. Jess and her older sister Liz never found out what happened. Instead, they did what they hoped their mother would do: survive. As soon as she was old enough, Jess fled their small town of Knife River, wandering from girlfriend to girlfriend like a ghost in her own life, aimless in her attempts to outrun grief and confusion. But one morning fifteen years later she gets the call she’s been bracing herself for: Her mother’s remains have been found.

First Line:

Her bones were discovered by a group of children playing in the woods.

Important details about Knife River

Pace: Slow

POV: 1st person (Jess)

Content/Trigger Guidance: Knife River contains themes that include alcoholism, murder, alcohol, gun violence, the death of a parent, cancer, bullying, cheating, infidelity, anxiety, anxiety attacks, depression, mental health, blood, disappearance of a loved one, and homophobia. Please read carefully if these trigger you.

Language: Knife River contains moderate swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is moderate sexual content in Knife River.

Setting: Knife River is set in Knife River, New York.

My Review

When I read the blurb for Knife River, I was intrigued. I read it after some internal debate (because I always do that with these books) and am glad I did. This book is a poignant and heartbreaking look into life after a loved one disappears. It also explores what the family goes through when a victim is found.

The main storyline of Knife River follows Jess. Jess was thirteen when her mother disappeared. Her mother’s disappearance and her older sister raising her had a drastic impact on Jess. She drifted from one relationship to another and kept everyone (including family) at arm’s length. One day, she receives a phone call from her older sister that turns her world upside down. Her mother’s body had been found, and she needed a home. Jess is determined to understand why her mother disappeared and looks for answers. The deeper she digs, the more she uncovers about her mother; not all is good. The answers she seeks might be different from what she wants to hear.

Knife River is a slow book. The slowness grated on me in places, but I understood why the author chose to keep it at this pace. The book needed to be slow to understand Jess’s state of mind and her actions throughout the book.

Jess was not likable, but I couldn’t help but feel bad for her. Sometimes, she couldn’t get out of her own way and made things worse for herself. She also did and said things that made my eyebrows raise and made me wonder, “Why?” She was so damaged, and the author didn’t sugarcoat it.

The mystery of Jess’s mother’s disappearance was very well written. The author did a great job of showing what went into investigating a cold case and trying to find leads after fifteen years. She showed Jess and her sister’s frustration with the police when they stopped communicating with them about the case (of course, there was another reason why). I also liked Jess’s investigation and how she accidentally stumbled upon the truth of what happened. That was a massive twist to the disappearance. It was one that I didn’t see coming and took me completely by surprise.

The end of Knife River left me with more questions than answers. I was confused as to what happened with Jess and the girl she was sleeping with and why she just sat on the confession she got. But I did like that Jess and her sister had grown closer at the end of the book and, in a way, started healing from their mother’s disappearance.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Random House, The Dial Press, NetGalley, and Justine Champine for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Knife River. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Knife River, then you will enjoy these books:

Mind Games by Nora Roberts

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of publication: May 21st, 2024

Genre: Romance, Romantic Suspense, Suspense, Paranormal, Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Contemporary, Mystery Thriller

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

The #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Identity presents a suspenseful new novel of tragedy and trauma, love and family, and the evil that awaits.

As they do each June, the Foxes have driven the winding roads of Appalachia to drop off their children for a two-week stay at their grandmother’s. Here, twelve-year-old Thea can run free and breathe in the smells of pine and fresh bread and Grammie’s handmade candles. But as her parents head back to suburban Virginia, they have no idea they’re about to cross paths with a ticking time bomb.

Back in Kentucky, Thea and her grandmother Lucy both awaken from the same nightmare. And though the two have never discussed the special kind of sight they share, they know as soon as their tearful eyes meet that something terrible has happened.

The kids will be staying with Grammie now in Redbud Hollow, and thanks to Thea’s vision, their parents’ killer will spend his life in supermax. Over time, Thea will make friends, build a career, find love. But that ability to see into minds and souls still lurks within her, and though Grammie calls it a gift, it feels more like a curse―because the inmate who shattered her childhood has the same ability. Thea can hear his twisted thoughts and witness his evil acts from miles away. He knows it, and hungers for vengeance. A long, silent battle will be waged between them―and eventually bring them face to face, and head to head…

First Line:

For Thea, the very best part of summer started the second week of June.

Important details about Mind Games

Pace: Medium

POV: 3rd person (Thea, Tyler, Ray)

Content/Trigger Guidance: Mind Games contains themes that include the death of a parent(s), murder, violence, grief, panic attacks, stalking, death of a child, gaslighting, domestic abuse, gun violence, emotional abuse, blood, injury, injury detail, animal cruelty, and physical abuse. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

Language: Mind Games contain moderate swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is moderate sexual content in Mind Games.

Setting: Mind Games is set in Redbud Hollow, Kentucky.

My Review:

I have been reading Nora Roberts’ books for as long as I can remember. My grandmother was a huge fan, and I would snatch her latest book after she read it. So, it was a no-brainer for me to read Mind Games.

The main storyline of Mind Games centers around Thea, her relationship with her parents’ murderer, her gift, and her relationship with Tyler. It is a well-written storyline that shook me with the trauma that Thea endured throughout the book.

I found Thea’s gift fascinating. Thea was psychic, and somehow, she formed a connection with Ray, the murderer, who is also psychic. Thankfully, Lucy (her grandmother) is also psychic and taught Thea how to control the gift. Those lessons also, for the most part, kept Ray out of Thea’s head during her teenage years. Thea’s gift was strong, but I didn’t realize how strong it was until she built that world where it physically hurt Ray. And let’s remember what she did at the end. That did scare me because it showed exactly how strong her gift was.

Tyler and Thea’s romance did seem a little forced, but the more they interacted, the more I liked them together. During the breakup scene, I was heartbroken because of what was said and the accusations that Tyler flung at Thea. I also didn’t like how he didn’t let her explain herself. I also didn’t like that Thea tried to prove herself to Tyler with her gift. That did make me go, WTH?

I enjoyed the thriller angle of the book. I liked that it was a more mental game between Thea and Ray (because he was in prison). Even though I knew he couldn’t get out, I tensed up when he taunted Thea through their link.

I loved the end of Mind Games. I liked how everything turned out, and I felt that Ray got what he deserved!

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Nora Roberts for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Mind Games. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Mind Games, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Nora Roberts

The Deepest Lake by Andromeda Romano-Lax

Publisher: Soho Press, Soho Crime

Date of publication: May 7th, 2024

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Adult, Contemporary, Travel, Adult Fiction

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | Kobo | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this atmospheric thriller set at a luxury memoir-writing workshop on the shores of Lake Atitlán, Guatemala, a grieving mother goes undercover to investigate her daughter’s mysterious death.

Rose, the mother of 20-something aspiring writer Jules, has waited three months for answers about her daughter’s death. Why was she swimming alone when she feared the water? Why did she stop texting days before she was last seen? When the official investigation rules the death an accidental drowning, the body possibly lost forever in Central America’s deepest lake, an unsatisfied Rose travels to the memoir workshop herself. She hopes to draw her own conclusion—and find closure.

When Rose arrives, she is swept into the curious world created by her daughter’s literary hero, the famous writing teacher Eva Marshall, a charismatic woman known for her candid—and controversial—memoirs. As Rose uncovers details about the days leading up to Jules’s disappearance, she begins to suspect that this glamorous retreat package is hiding ugly truths. Is Lake Atitlan a place where traumatized women come to heal or a place where deeper injury is inflicted?

Perfect for fans of Delia Owens, Celeste Ng, and Julia Bartz, The Deepest Lake is both a sharp look at the sometimes toxic, exclusionary world of high-class writing workshops and an achingly poignant view of a mother’s grief.

First Line:

I should be terrified stepping into the rowboat, but for the first adrenaline-spiked moment, I’m not.

Important details about The Deepest Lake

Pace: Fast

POV: 3rd person (Rose), 1st person (Jules)

Content/Trigger Guidance: The Deepest Lake contains themes that include bullying, classism, gaslighting, emotional abuse, depression*, alcohol consumption, drug use, miscarriage*, SIDS-related death*, blood, lack of medical treatment, physical injuries, dehydration, death of a child, grief & loss depiction, captivity & confinement, disappearance of a loved one, fire, attempted murder, physical assault, and mental illness*. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

  • Depression: It is revealed that Jules suffered from depression during college.
  • Miscarriage: Eva reveals to Jules that she had a miscarriage at 24 weeks.
  • SIDS-related death: In Eva’s memoir, she tells how her child died from SIDS at 13 days old.
  • Mental Illness: Eva had an undisclosed mental illness. It became more pronounced at the end of the book. The author never tells what the mental illness is (only that people had to walk on eggshells around her, and she became erratic).

Language: The Deepest Lake contains mild to moderate swearing and language that might offend some people.

  • Both Jules and Rose speak fluent Spanish, and they converse with the locals throughout the book. The author does include an English translation, but it was easy enough to guess what they were saying from the context of their conversations. There were only a couple of times I had to use the translation feature on my Kindle.

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in The Deepest Lake.

Setting: The Deepest Lake is set on a resort bordering a small village (San Felipe) and a lake (Lake Atitlan) in Guatemala. There is also an epilogue set in Chicago, Illinois.

My Review:

Thrillers have always been one of my favorite books to read. Besides romance, they were one of the most reviewed genres on this blog. When I read the blurb for The Deepest Lake on Soho Press’s NetGalley page, I became very interested in it. The storyline caught my attention, but the location also made me double-take. I haven’t read many books set in Central America, and I have read no books set in Guatemala. I hyped this book up in my mind, and in most cases, the book falls short. But not in this case. I enjoyed reading The Deepest Lake.

The Deepest Lake is a dual storyline, dual POV book. In my years of reading, I have noticed that books that go between characters and POVs become choppy towards the end (when the author tries to merge the storyline for the ending). But not in this case. The transition between Rose and Jules was smooth. The author marked whose chapter it was and when it was happening (this is very important towards the end of the book). And the merge of the storylines was seamless. All of this made the book very enjoyable to read.

There are two storylines in The Deepest Lake. One centers on Jules and her experiences working for Eva. The other storyline centers on Rose’s quest for answers about Jule’s disappearance/drowning. Both storylines were well-written and kept my attention focused on the book.

Jules did rub me the wrong way at the beginning of the book. She came across as a brat (for lack of better words) who felt suffocated by her parents. She also suffered from a severe case of hero worship, which lasted until the middle of the book. However, a significant scene in the middle of the book opened her eyes to everything and set up the events at the end of the book.

The depth of Rose’s grief crushed me. All she wanted was answers; the one person who had them (or she thought had them) was Eva. I got why she joined the writer’s workshop. I also got why she kept quiet about who she was and her relationship with Jules. I also loved that she was determined to figure out what happened to Jules, even though her ex-husband had already been to San Felipe and the resort looking for her.

Eva was a great villain. The more page time she got, the more unhinged she became. It was apparent early on in Rose’s workshops. But with Jules, it was evident when, well, the spa scene and after that scene, it just snowballed. I want to say grief was a significant factor behind everything, but you know what, I don’t know. And that is what made her such a great villain. You didn’t know the real reasons of what drove her and why (there were reasons given, but I took them with a grain of salt). I was also shocked by what was revealed at the end of the book about her (on so many levels).

The thriller and mystery angle of the book was good. The author was able to keep me on tenterhooks with both Rose and Jules. She would end chapters a certain way, go to the other POV, and I’d have to wait to see what happened. Also, two massive twists and a few smaller, more insignificant ones were thrown into the storyline. The big twists did surprise me. I did not expect what was revealed and what happened actually to happen. The more minor twists didn’t surprise me, but they added extra padding to what was revealed by the more significant twists.

The end of The Deepest Lake was one of the best endings to a book I have read. I loved how the author wrapped everything up. There was a surprise that the author included at the very end that surprised me, mainly because of who was involved and where that person was.

Many thanks to Soho Press, Soho Crime, NetGalley, and Andromeda Romano-Lax for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Deepest Lake. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Deepest Lake, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Andromeda Romano-Lax

You Know What You Did by K.T. Nguyen

Publisher: Penguin Group Dutton, Dutton

Date of publication: April 16th, 2024

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Horror, Adult, Suspense, Contemporary, Mental Health, Murder Mystery

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this heart-pounding debut thriller for fans of Lisa Jewell and Celeste Ng, a first-generation Vietnamese American artist must confront nightmares past and present…

Annie “Anh Le” Shaw grew up poor but seems to have it all now: a dream career, a stunning home, and a devoted husband and daughter. When Annie’s mother, a Vietnam War refugee, dies suddenly one night, Annie’s carefully curated life begins to unravel. Her obsessive-compulsive disorder, which she thought she’d vanquished years ago, comes roaring back—but this time, the disturbing fixations swirling around in Annie’s brain might actually be coming true.

A prominent art patron disappears, and the investigation zeroes in on Annie. Spiraling with self-doubt, she distances herself from her family and friends, only to wake up in a hotel room—naked, next to a lifeless body. The police have more questions, but with her mind increasingly fractured, Annie doesn’t have answers. All she knows is this: She will do anything to protect her daughter—even if it means losing herself.

With dizzying twists, You Know What You Did is both a harrowing thriller and a heartfelt exploration of the refugee experience, the legacies we leave for our children, and the unbreakable bonds between mothers and daughters.

AUTHOR NOTE
Personality-wise, I’m not much like my main character Annie Shaw. However, we do have one big thing in common: we’re both recovering from obsessive compulsive disorder. Through Annie, I describe some of my lived experience with disgust-driven, contamination-based OCD. The imagery is raw and vivid—and very necessary to realistically portray how this chronic disorder can affect people’s everyday lives, how it can make you feel like a prisoner in your own body. To learn more about OCD symptoms, treatments, and resources, visit the website of the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF dot org). —K.T. Nguyen

First Line

Annie Shaw held her mother’s hand one last time.

Important details about You Know What You Did

Pace: Alternated between medium and fast

POV: 3rd person (Annie)

Content/Triggers: You Know What You Did contains themes of mental illness, animal death, death of a parent, infidelity, body horror, gore, grief, violence, car accident, murder, death, emotional abuse, racism, fire and fire injury, gaslighting, injury and injury detail, animal cruelty, body shaming, domestic abuse, panic attacks/disorders, physical abuse, self-harm, sexual assault, toxic relationship, police brutality, stalking, abandonment, alcohol, war, classism, death of a child, rape, refugee experiences, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, gun violence, attempted murder, and *genocide. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

  • Annie’s mother escaped Vietnam by boat in 1978. She was pregnant with Annie and had escaped with her six-year-old son, who tragically died the day before she was rescued. There are references to the Vietnamese Boat People throughout the book.

Language: You Know What You Did contains graphic swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is mild consensual sexual content in You Know What You Did. There is also a somewhat graphic sexual assault scene during the last couple of chapters.

Setting: You Know What You Did is set in Mount Pleasant, Virginia. There are also chapters set in Grace Falls, Ohio (while Annie was growing up), Hong Kong (in the early 2000s), and Vietnam (in 1978).

My Review:

The main storyline of You Know What You Did centers around Annie. Annie’s mother, a compulsive hoarder, was found dead by Annie. That death pushes Annie’s mental health to the limit. Annie suffers from contamination-based OCD, and she finds herself spiraling into routines that she hasn’t done in years. With her employer’s disappearance and the death of a man she barely knows pinned on her, Annie finds herself losing grip on reality. What is going on? Did the death of Annie’s mother set her off, or is there a more sinister reason? Can Annie figure out what is going on?

Annie had a time for it in the first half of the book. Her mother dies, and then she catches her best friend’s husband getting pleasured at the school carnival; the husband then starts sending threatening texts/pics to Annie. Tabby (her daughter) is awful and leaves for horse camp; her employer disappears, her dog dies, and Duncan leaves to cover a story in Syria. Her stress level was sky-high, and the pressure just kept mounting. I got stressed just reading about her predicaments.

Speaking of her relationships, I wasn’t a huge fan of Duncan or Tabby. Duncan came across as condescending or a jerk while he was with her. I could picture the tone he used with her; that imaginary tone made me grumpy (I don’t like condescending people). He also seemed to be undermining her parenting of Tabby. Everything she said or did that concerned Tabby was immediately challenged or changed by Duncan. As for Tabby, I understood she was a teenager and had that attitude, but she still aggravated me.

Annie’s relationship with her mother was also a massive part of the storyline. But, there was also a disconnect for me. I wanted to see more of her and Annie’s interactions when Annie was growing up. I wanted to know what caused such a massive rift between them. I also wanted to know more about her time in Vietnam. The author did go back to 1978 and explain a few things-like hoarding.

I liked Annie, but she was a very unreliable narrator. There were times during the book when I couldn’t figure out if what Annie was saying happened. She had vivid dreams about people that seemed to come true (which was freaky). Even her mother’s death was suspect in my eyes. Even after an explanation was given (and this goes with the twist I mention below), I still couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe she wasn’t all innocent.

The mystery angle of the book was terrific. I thought I had everything figured out, and then, bam, the author throws in a huge twist. This twist I did not see coming. All I could think was that that person had done an insane amount of planning to accomplish what they did.

I also like the book’s horror element. While it wasn’t subtle, it wasn’t in your face. Reading about Annie’s spiral into her OCD routines was both heartbreaking and frightening. But watching Annie’s mind become more and more fractured was truly horrifying. Lost hours and memories, on top of her OCD routines, set the tone for the last half of the book.

The end of You Know What You Did was terrific. I liked how the author revealed what was happening and who was behind it. As I said above, I was beyond shocked by who it was. The epilogue wrapped up the other storylines one year later, but I still couldn’t figure out what happened during the final fight in the carriage house. It was alluded to, but since Annie was so sick (mentally), I couldn’t tell if it was real. And folks, that is what made this book so good to read!

Many thanks to Penguin Group Dutton, Dutton, NetGalley, and K.T. Nguyen for allowing me to read and review this ARC of You Know What You Did. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to You Know What You Did, then you will enjoy these books:

The Gathering by C.J. Tudor

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books

Date of publication: April 9th, 2024

Genre: Horror, Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Vampires, Mystery Thriller, Paranormal, Adult, Crime, Suspense

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

A detective investigating a grisly crime in rural Alaska finds herself caught up in the dark secrets and superstitions of a small town in this riveting novel from the acclaimed author of The Chalk Man.

In a small Alaska town, a boy is found with his throat ripped out and all the blood drained from his body. The inhabitants of Deadhart haven’t seen a killing like this in twenty-five years. But they know who’s responsible: a member of the Colony, an ostracized community of vampyrs living in an old mine settlement deep in the woods.

Detective Barbara Atkins, a specialist in vampyr killings, is called in to officially determine if this is a Colony killing—and authorize a cull. Old suspicions die hard in a town like Deadhart, but Barbara isn’t so sure. Determined to find the truth, she enlists the help of a former Deadhart sheriff, Jenson Tucker, whose investigation into the previous murder almost cost him his life. Since then, Tucker has become a recluse. But he knows the Colony better than almost anyone.

As the pair delve into the town’s history, they uncover secrets darker than they could have imagined. And then another body is found. While the snow thickens and the nights grow longer, a killer stalks Deadhart, and two disparate communities circle each other for blood. Time is running out for Atkins and Tucker to find the truth: Are they hunting a bloodthirsty monster . . . or a twisted psychopath? And which is more dangerous?

First Line:

It would be wrong to say that life had passed Beau Grainger by.

The Gathering by C.J. Tudor

Important details about The Gathering

Pace: Fast

POV: 3rd person (Beau, Barbara, Tucker, Athelinda, unknown girl in basement)

Content/Triggers: The Gathering contains themes of child death, death, gun violence, violence, religious bigotry, murder, body shaming, child abuse, pedophilia, racism, sexual assault, and sexual violence. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

Language: The Gathering contains graphic swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is no consensual sexual content in The Gathering. But there is moderate nonconsensual sexual content as well as pedophilia (the pedophilia is not explained but referred to).

Setting: The Gathering is set in Deadhart, Alaska. 

My Review:

When Random House sent me an email containing the widget for The Gathering, I knew I needed to read this book. Why? First, the cover. It was (and still is) striking and having finished the book, it suits it. Secondly, I have a slight, tiny, eeny vampire obsession. I usually don’t review anything with vampires (and, of course, this book and the book I just finished will cast me as a liar). Those books are for my pleasure (no reviews/reading challenges). Thirdly, I can count on one hand the times I read a book set in Alaska during the winter. So, all of those reasons made me accept the widget.

The main storyline of The Gathering follows Barbara as she travels to Deadhart to investigate the murder of a teenage boy by a vampyr from the neighboring Colony. But, once she gets to Deadhart, the townspeople and her boss pressure Barbara to authorize a cull of the Colony. Not wanting to jump the gun, Barbara continues with her investigation, and what she finds surprises her. Not only did the Colony not kill the boy, but there is a vampyr hate group active in town. She also sees similarities to a murder committed over twenty years previously. With tensions in the town and the Colony rising daily, Barbara must find out who the murderer is and the reasons behind it before the vampyres and townspeople clash.

I found the storyline fascinating and nerve-racking. The book takes place in the dark because the sun never rises in Alaska during that part of the year. And, I will tell you, it made the horror parts much creepier, mainly because you can’t see who or what is coming for you in the dark.

The storyline is broken into three parts. The first part follows Barbara and her investigation. In the beginning, it was a little boring, but that didn’t last long at all. As Barbara enters town, things start happening and get creepy fast. There are flashbacks to Barbara’s past and her friendship with a vampyr named Mercy. I was also in awe over how calm Barbara was with people. Some of the things said and done to her were awful. But, again, her childhood and friendship with Mercy were a massive factor in how she was able to keep calm.

The second storyline follows Athelinda, the Colony, and the connection to the town. There was a minute where I was convinced that maybe one of her people had something to do with the death, but that was quickly put to rest. Everything Athelinda does in this book is for the good of her people, regardless of how it plays out. Her past also damaged Athelinda. The things she was forced to do were horrendous, and the implications made me gag. I won’t get into it because of spoilers, but I was sick when I read those paragraphs. But I also gained a better insight into Athelinda’s dealing with humans, and you know what? I don’t blame her for the things she did.

The third storyline was also the most mysterious one. There is no date or location, but it is centered on a teenage girl kept captive in a basement by her Captor. At first, I wondered why this girl was kept down there, but that was explained quickly. Then I wondered where this basement was and who the Captor was. I did have a suspect, but I was wrong about that. When the author revealed who it was, my mouth dropped open. It was the last person I expected.

The book also goes into the murder of another teenage boy, twenty-five years previously. But, unlike this murder, it was pretty cut and dry. But the fallout was felt years later. I couldn’t understand why Beau kept the heads and didn’t give them back to Athelinda. It is explained, but it was so wrong. Also, the more that was revealed about the night the teenage vampyr was killed (along with his father and uncle), the more I disliked Beau. But it also made me love Tucker (he tried to do the right thing and paid for it dearly).

The mystery angles of The Gathering were terrific. The author was able to keep me from figuring out who the killer was until Barbara and Tucker figured it out. That was twist number one. The second twist was who killed the town doctor and high school teacher and why. The reason for the town doctor’s murder was apparent, but the teacher, not so much. That leads to the third and most shocking twist. It involves the murder of the teacher and the girl in the basement. As I said above, I was shocked. It was the last person I would have thought. But, looking back, it did make sense, and the author dropped some tiny hints.

The end of The Gathering was interesting. The author wrapped everything up and explained every death in the book. Then the epilogue happened, and again, I was shocked. I was also hoping that this meant there would be a book 2. What was written was a heck of a cliffhanger.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and C.J. Tudor for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Gathering. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Gathering, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by C.J. Tudor

The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam

Date of publication: September 12th, 2023

Genre: Horror, Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Gothic, Adult Suspense, Adult Fiction

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

A social media influencer with a secret past buys a murder house to renovate, but finds more than she bargained for behind the peeling wallpaper in this gothic psychological debut.

Sarah Slade is starting over. As the new owner of the infamous Black Wood House—the scene of a grisly murder-suicide—she’s determined that the fixer-upper will help reach a new audience on her successful lifestyle blog, and distract her from her failing marriage.

But as Sarah paints over the house’s horrifying past, she knows better than anyone that a new façade can’t conceal every secret. Then the builders start acting erratically and experiencing bizarre accidents—and Sarah knows there’s only so long she can continue to sleep in the bedroom with the bloodstained floor and suffer the mysterious footsteps she hears from the attic.

When menacing notes start appearing everywhere, Sarah becomes convinced that someone or something is out to kill her—her husband, her neighbors, maybe even the house itself. The more she remodels Black Wood House, the angrier it seems to become.

With every passing moment, Sarah’s life spirals further out of control—and with it, her sense of reality. Though she desperately clings to the lies she’s crafted to conceal her own secrets, Sarah Slade must wonder . . . was it all worth it? Or will this house be her final unraveling?

First Line:

Welcome to Black House.

The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin

Important details about The Stranger Upstairs

Pace: Fast

POV: 1st person (Sarah)

Trigger Warnings: The Stranger Upstairs contains themes of mental illness, murder, alcoholism, death, alcohol, animal cruelty, violence, blood, suicide, panic attacks/disorders, vomiting, infidelity, toxic relationships, psychosis, gaslighting, grief, addiction, stalking, injury/injury detail, bullying, emotional abuse, self-harm, chronic illness, suicidal thoughts, toxic friendship, domestic abuse, medical content, classism, eating disorder, death of a parent, drug abuse, and police brutality.

Language: The Stranger Upstairs contains moderate swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in The Stranger Upstairs.

Setting: The Stranger Upstairs is set in Beacon, Australia.

My Review:

I enjoy reading psychological thrillers. So, when a psychological thriller ends in my emails, I either accept the request (if it is through a publisher) or buy the book. And that was the case with The Stranger Upstairs.

The main storyline in The Stranger Upstairs centers around Sarah. Sarah is a therapist/blogger/self-help writer who had just bought a house where a man killed his wife, attempted to kill his daughter, and then committed suicide. She and her husband bought the house thinking they would show the renovations step-by-step and eventually sell the home for double what they paid. I felt the storyline was well written when it centered on Sarah, keeping me glued to the book.

Sarah wasn’t a very likable character and wasn’t a reliable narrator. She wasn’t forthcoming with the truth, and what she did admit to was a little suspect. Everything she remembered about her life before she left with Joe seemed skewed, and I honestly couldn’t figure out if she was telling the truth. As her mental health declined, the more I tended not to believe anything that came out of her mouth. By the end of the book, she had me so twisted that I couldn’t figure out which end was up with her.

The whole murder house mystery was intriguing. I could see someone taking an old house with a history, like Black Wood House, and flipping it. There are people out there who would pay good money to live in an infamous house. I also see how a small town would close ranks against a new house owner. Even the nasty jerk whose uncle was the chief of police was believable (there is always that one nepobaby who thinks they rule the town).

The mystery/thriller angle kept me glued to the book. I figured out what was going on with the little nasty things (being unable to get local help, the cold shoulders, and the rat in the mailbox), but I couldn’t figure out the more significant things until almost the end of the book.

My only complaint about the book was the ending. Several twists made sense and explained some things. But I didn’t understand what happened during that last chapter. It just didn’t make sense and left me with more questions.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam, NetGalley, and Lisa M. Matlin for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Stranger Upstairs. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Stranger Upstairs, then you will enjoy these books:

Finding Sophie by Imran Mahmood

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam

Date of publication: March 5th, 2024

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Crime, Legal Thriller, Adult Fiction, Drama

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

Two parents, desperate to find their missing daughter, stand accused of murder. How far will they go to find the truth?

Someone is guilty.

For the last seventeen years, Harry and Zara King’s lives have revolved around their only daughter, Sophie. One day, Sophie leaves the house and doesn’t come home. Six weeks later, the police are no closer to finding her than when they started. Harry and Zara have questioned everyone who has ever had any connection to Sophie, to no avail. Except there’s one house on their block—number 210, across the street—whose occupant refuses to break his silence.

Someone knows what happened.

As the question mark over number 210 devolves into obsession, Harry and Zara are forced to examine their own lives. They realize they have grown apart, suffering in separate spheres of grief. And as they try to find their way back to each other, they must face the truth about their daughter: who she was, how she changed, and why she disappeared.

Someone will pay.

Told in the alternating perspectives of Harry and Zara, and in a dual timeline between the weeks after Sophie’s disappearance and a year later in the middle of a murder trial, Imran Mahmood’s taut yet profoundly moving novel explores how differently grief can be experienced even when shared by parents—and how hope triumphs when it springs from the kind of love that knows no bounds.

First Line:

I’ve been waiting six months for my trial but now that I’m here I can’t contain the panic blooming in my gut.

Finding Sophie by Imran Mahmood

Important details about Finding Sophie

Pace: Medium

POV: 1st person (Harry and Zara)

Trigger Warnings: Finding Sophie contains themes that include kidnapping, grief, murder, adult/minor relationship, bullying, child abuse, confinement, death, drug abuse, emotional abuse, rape, suicidal thoughts, blood, trafficking, gaslighting, injury/injury detail, stalking, grooming, and sexual harassment.

Language: Finding Sophie contains moderate swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Finding Sophie.

Setting: Finding Sophie is set around an unnamed village in England.

My Review

Finding Sophie’s storyline focuses on Harry and Zara, their desperation to find Sophie, and their murder trial. I am not fond of alternating storylines that go from past to present and back. But, in this case, it worked. The storylines complemented each other. There was no lag when the author switched characters or storylines. Instead, he took what the previous chapter talked about and used it in the present day or in the past to explain how Harry and Zara got to the point they were at. Overall, it was a compelling, well-written story that I was engaged with. My only complaint would be the ending (and I will explain why I wasn’t a fan of it).

I liked that the author portrayed Zara and Harry as parents at the end of their rope with a rebellious child. As a mother of two teenagers, I could sympathize with the talking back, the silence, the moodiness, and even being secretive. But, I did draw the line at what they did in desperation to Sophie. When Sophie went missing, the anguish, the rage, and the self-doubt came crashing back. They weren’t likable characters, but they were sympathetic.

I was surprised at how little Zara and Harry knew about their daughter. Maybe I don’t have typical teenagers, but my kids share (and sometimes overshare) everything with my husband and me. So, when Harry and Zara found out all of this information about Sophie weeks after she went missing, it was surprising.

I initially thought Sophie’s disappearance was due to her being a rebellious teenager and to certain events that happened in the prior weeks. I was NOT expecting the twist her storyline took. I was completely surprised and shocked because it wasn’t what I thought. Of course, I did think Harry was right in doing what he did (after the murder trial).

The events leading up to the murder were disturbing. I did have sympathy for 210 in the beginning, but that sympathy waned as the book went on. Harry may have gone slightly over the top in his actions. However, Harry’s actions became borderline obsessive, and Zara started to do the same thing. So, it wasn’t a surprise when the murder happened.

The trial angle of the book was interesting to read. I can’t remember a book where the author explained how British law works. It fascinated me because while it was similar to American law, it was also so different. There were two major twists in that plotline. One I didn’t see coming and was very surprised by the reveal. I was also astonished that the confession was caught on tape, and that confession almost made me get bookish whiplash. The other twist was who the murderer was. I will say that there were only two people, so I had a 50/50 chance of getting it right. I did somewhat see it coming, but I was shocked.

Now, the end of the book was different from what I thought it would be. I did like that the author wrapped up everything with a neat little bow. But he did something that I didn’t expect. He showed the aftermath of everything. I was with him until the very last chapter. It ended on a very creepy note, and I am still trying to figure out exactly what happened and what he meant in that last paragraph.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam, NetGalley, and Imran Mahmood for allowing me to read and review an ARC of Finding Sophie. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Finding Sophie, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Imran Mahmood